Improvement in clothes-tongs



ELI ZA AN N F0 U LKE.

Clothes-Tongs.

' Patented Nov. 25, 1873.

FLL-yf lit wmf?

ELIZA ANN FOULKE,

PATENT CFFICE.

or PARIs, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOTHESFTONGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,972, dated November 25, 1873; application filed September l5, 1873.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZA ANN FOULKE, of Paris, in the county of Edgar and State of Illinois7 have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clothes-Tongs, of which the following is a specification:

. My invention relates to devices for withx drawing clothes from scalding water during the process of boiling and washing them; and the improvement in such devices whichI claim as my invention under this patent consists of the tongs hereinafter described, the jaws of which have inner or biting flat faces and concave intervening spaces, which are provided with outlet-holes for the water, as will hereinafter be more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a view in perspective of my improved clothes-tongs. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the clamping-jaws thereof closed, and Fig. 3 represents a cross section of the same.

The tongs A are riveted, at B, in a suitable manner to admit of being easily opened and closed. The tongs are so riveted, as shown in the drawings, that their jaws C may have an absolute contact the whole length of their bitingedges c, which extend from the hinge to their points. These jaws C are provided, on their inner or biting faces, with longitudinal grooves a, which serve the double purpose of a gutter for the escape of the water squeezed from the wet clothes, and producing clamping or biting edges c, whereby to obtain a firm hold upon the clothes. In both of the jaws C are holes b b b, which serve as outlets for the water.

My invention is not only advantageous in preventing the hands from being scalded in removing the clothes from the boiler, but, in a great measure, rinses them of the scalding water, so that the receptacle into which they are transferred from the boilerbefore hanging them is not filled with water to such an extent as heretofore, thus permitting of the use of small receiving tubs. Another advantage is that the clamping of the clothes by the jaws of the tongs deprives them of the bulk of the scalding water, so that their exposure to the atmosphere will soon render them capable of being wrung out without the usual scalding of the hands and other disgurements thereof, to which many women have heretofore been subjected.

Having described my invention, I claim- A pair of tongs the jaws C whereof have ilat biting-edges c and intervening spaces or guttergrooves a, provided with outlet-perforations b, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m y hand this 28th day of October, A. D. 1872.

EIIIZA ANN FOULKE.

Titnesses HENRY PLAsNIcK, WILLIAM FERGUsoN. 

